In my most recent post I introduced two types of characters, The Hero, (protagonist), and the Mentor, (Wizard, Wise Old Man / Wise Old Woman). Today, we’ll continue in the same vein and introduce additional character types for your novels.
Next in line of our universal characters is the Threshold Guardian.
As we know, our protagonist must traverse many obstacles while on his quest and in many instances some of those hurdles are watched over by Threshold Guardians. Its goal is to keep the unworthy from entering. The common placement of the Guardian, as you might expect, is as a gatekeeper, most often for the Big Enchilada. It is not necessary for these people to have an evil demeanor and attitude, but most authors seem to portray them in that light. In unusual circumstances they can even be secret helpers to your hero.
These sentinels can take most any form you wish. They can be fierce creatures ready to devour your hero or something as nonthreatening as a child who withholds a secret. When your hero encounters the various kinds of guardians, they can be overcome, bypassed or even turned into allies. They represent the hero’s inner demons or serve as training for more difficult tasks he has yet to face.
How is your hero supposed to deal with these impediments? The answer lies in the guardian’s unique nature or personality. Your protagonist must find a way to get under the beast’s skin. In some instances, they do so literally, as when Sam and Frodo dressed like the Eye’s warriors to traverse the badlands. With luck, your hero may simply ignore or bypass him. In most stories, however, the Threshold Guardian must be fought, bribed, educated, turned, appeased, convinced or killed.
Despite the looks of it, a Threshold Guardian is often a positive thing to your hero. After all, doesn’t he warn everyone the Big Bad Wolf is near? They can also help your hero in another fashion for as they test the good guy, your hero grows in strength and knowledge. The good guy might even pick up a weapon or two.
Our next key character is The Herald.
In studying how to write a book, you’ll find this guy brings two things to your hero. The first is an announcement of major change your hero is about to face. The other is motivation.
In the early telling of the typical story, the hero muddles through his life by way of current knowledge or dumb luck. All of a sudden, some new problem crops up that is beyond his skills and he can no longer get by on his own. This new imbalance, called The Call to Adventure, is delivered by none other than The Herald. This guy gets your hero’s great quest moving along.
Herald’s represent coming change. In “Star Wars – A New Hope,” who is The Herald? Who is it that brings Luke Skywalker an announcement of some great change that gets the story moving forward? It’s R2D2. He is the character that shows Luke the message from the princess, thus announcing the coming transformation in Luke’s life. Remember how Luke gets excited by the message? There’s his motivation.
What form does The Herald take? Like every character in your story, it takes whatever shape you wish it to take. It can be a person, a note, a feeling, a telegraph, an animal. It matters not. Just know as you learn how to write a story, a herald is necessary.
As with every character in your story, The Herald may be good, evil or neutral. In most stories, The Herald is brought in early to get your hero moving toward his quest, but his appearance depends on when and how you decide to have your hero’s quest started.
Now for one of my favorite characters, The Shapeshifter.
This powerful archetype is shifty, two-faced. You see him for the first time and he’s helping. Yet, the next time you cross his path he’s trying to destroy you. (Every see this type in real life?) The classic example of The Shapeshifter is found in the opposite sex, though this in not necessary.
The function of this creature is to confuse the hero and the reader. It is the bringer of doubt and the propagator of confusion. In our earlier example of “Star Wars,” a Shapeshifter is Lando Calrissian. Remember him? The boos on the cloud mining operation, he first comes out to meet Han Solo with a grimace and a complaint. He then hugs him, betrays him, then saves Solo and finally joined the Rebellion and is given the rank of general for the climactic battle scene. Boy does this guy alter his appearance – four times. He kept you guessing throughout most of the movie.
Shapeshifters may change in any way imaginable. They may alter their personality, form, allegiance, or just their clothes. Regardless, all these changes bring uncertainty and apprehension to your hero and your readers. Consider if you will, the Wicked Witch in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” She shifted from a queen, to a witch, to a dragon to a pile of ash as we progressed through that story. Wow!
Next comes The Shadow.
This guy is often your villain, though he need not be so. The Shadow represents your hero’s doubt. This character might not be a character at all, but a force, of sorts, that rises and falls within any or all characters as needed in your novel. It can shift from character to character but always plays the same role – one of slipping out of normalcy and into doubt.
Remember in the hobbit story when Frodo is about to drop the ring into the eternal fires of Mount Doom? He hesitates. He considers the power his is relinquishing and doubts if he can or even should toss the ring into oblivion. In that same series, doubt rears its ugly head in the good guys at the time when the Eye’s multitudes surround the king and his meager band of warriors just prior to the Eye’s ultimate end. If you remember, as soon as those massive gates open and the good guys see the number of bad guys they face, the good guys shy back a step, brows high and eyes wide in doubt.
Can The Shadow also be a formal character? Sure, and in fact he often is. In the movie, “Independence Day,” the president fires one of his advisors, (can’t remember his name), and the other characters as well as the viewing crowd almost cheer. Doubt has been erased and the president has risen to the role of confident hero in that instant. (Fanfare here.)
Shadows need not be of absolute evil. In contrast, they often make better characters if they hold some element of goodness. Think of a villain who, just as the hero is about to slay him, exhibits some level of goodness as with “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” In this case, we see evil incarnate surrounded by a very real, and good person.
The Shadow may be internal or external. External Shadows are easy to spot, the Emperor in “Star Wars,” for example. Internal Shadows may be more difficult to visualize but you need only to look to Darth Vader to view internal shadow. After all, this once good, then evil creature turns against his puppet master to save Luke and transforms into something good again. (In this case, the Shadow is also a Shapeshifter.)
Our final character is The Trickster.
The typical Trickster is the comical sidekick. They are utilized to bring your hero down to earth, often by way of comic relief. They also like to stir up trouble for no reason other than to do so. They are what’s called “catalyst characters.” They that change others, but rarely change themselves.
Without them, the conflict in your story may lead to reader exhaustion. An old saw in drama tells us to “Make ‘em cry a lot; let ‘em laugh a little.” This “laugh a little” is the job of your Trickster. Tricksters can be cohorts of the hero, as with Giordano in “Sahara”, or may even be the villain. They also might not be related to either of them.
One of my favorites is the aforementioned Giordano. The hero is given a coin minted in limited quantity by the Confederate Government. He’s all excited about the implications of his find. Giordano’s response? “My father has a coin collection.” Giordano’s meaning, of course, is that coins travel the world all by themselves and the hero needs to get his head on straight as to the significance of this single coin he’s found.
A variation of the Trickster is the Trickster Hero. In fact, our very same Giordano is such a character. Not only does her provide the comic relief, but he is also a minor hero in his own right. He is, after all, the guy who finds and dismantles the bomb, is he not?
Well, there you have it, an outline of the various and interesting characters with which you may populate your novels. If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.
In the mean time, I wish you all best-sellers.
C. Patrick Schulze
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Character Types in Fiction
Character Types in Fiction
As we’ve traveled down the road of how to write a novel, I’ve talked about the steps your protagonist must take while on his journey through your novel. Today I’m going to introduce you to those various characters he’ll meet along the way. Today we’ll meet the Hero and the Mentor. Tomorrow, we’ll meet more.
Before we meet these all-important and archetypal helpers, hinderers and others, let’s review who it is these many creatures represent. I like to think of them as the assorted types of people I meet in real life. When I populate my manuscripts with characters, I infuse them with human characteristics, typically from people I’ve met, know or know of. After all, the best stories are little more than metaphors for the human condition, are they not. This idea works for creatures, too. Regardless the species of your characters, they will assume human qualities.
Consider your novel’s champion, or protagonist, for example. He lives, struggles, overcomes, succumbs, grows, learns and maybe even dies. He loves, he hates, he suffers, he surpasses and so on. These are all aspects of the human condition, so it’s quite obvious your characters will exhibit the qualities of existent humans.
These guys to whom I’ll introduce you today are universal. They can be employed in whatever genre you write. In a war story, is there a hero? Yep. How about a love story? It’s the same. What if you wish to write about talking birds? You’ll have the same characters in there somewhere.
Armed with that knowledge, let’s introduce the major character types in fiction.
First, and of most importance, is The Hero.
In my research for this article I learned the word, “hero” is Greek in origin and means “one who protects or one who serves.” Think of him as a shepherd of sorts, someone who will sacrifice for the good of his flock. This concept of sacrificing one’s self is at the heart of the hero’s meaning.
It is his fate to leave the comfortable confines of his world and venture into the place where he is, in effect, lost. He, like us, must learn to cope, to grow and to overcome. During his journey, he will face tests, meet teachers and guides, come across those who wish him harm and maybe even meet his love. Hum… sounds sort of like our own lives, doesn’t it? (Do you see a secret to writing a successful novel in that last sentence?)
His purpose in your story is to give your readers a window into not only the story, but life itself. You must find a way to make your protagonist relate to as many potential readers as possible. This is done by instilling in your hero those universal characteristics that your readers will appreciate. That is, qualities we find within ourselves.
Think about some of those universal aspects of the human animal and give those qualities to your hero. You can consider among others, fear, revenge, love, lust, patriotism, desperation, freedom, survival, understanding or idealism. If you can convey these qualities into your hero, the reader will have an easier time identifying with him. This is one of the many secrets to having your manuscript accepted. If you notice, I mention some unsavory qualities, too. Yes, give your hero some of those. Not too many, mind you, but an interesting flaw or two will humanize your hero. Are real life heroes perfect? Neither are your novel based ones.
Keep in mind your hero may be a willing accomplice to his fate or not. It’s unimportant as to his enthusiasm for his quest. Also remember these ideas apply regardless the form your hero takes, be it animal, alien, or even a vegetable.
Another aspect to his fate is action. This does not need be explosive in nature, but rather in the aspect the hero is in control of his personal fate.
The most terrifying scene for your hero is his coming face-to-face with Death. It can be in a metaphorical sense, but he must fact the greatest of losses in your climactic scene. In this part of your novel, your protagonist must present his truly heroic side by willingly sacrificing himself for the good of others if needs be.
Our next character is the ever-popular Mentor.
This character goes by many names and among them is the Wise Old Man or Wizard. He is usually a positive figure, though he need not be so. The archetype is of a lesser hero, if you will. In simple terms, he’s a guide for your premier character.
He represents the best person within us all. He insures the hero is made aware of right from wrong and is provided with all the necessary knowledge or skills to complete his quest. He is a gift-giver of sorts. Think of the Fairy-Godmother in “Cinderella” or Merlin in “King Arthur.”
His main purpose lies in teaching. Your hero comes into this new world of his without many, if not most, of the skills he’ll need to complete his quest. It matters not if he is to drive a silver stake into the heart of Dracula or if she is to find a new love. Regardless the journey, the hero lacks something and the Mentor is there to take care of that nasty little inconvenience.
There is typically a catch involved with these wonderful gifts. And that is they should be earned by your hero. Think of Snow White in her fairy tale. Who later comes to her aid? All the creatures of the forest do. And why do they do this for her? It’s because Snow White showed them kindness earlier in the tale.
The Mentor can have other functions, too. He might act as conscience to your hero. (Hum… might your hero rebel against this conscience? Uh, do real people?) The Mentor may also serve to motivate him or even introduce him to the physical pleasures of love. (This guy can be a lot of fun!)
There are many types of Mentors. He may be what’s called a Dark Mentor, where the good qualities of the human being are turned inside out. Think Joan Wilder’s agent in “Romancing the Stone.” At some point, Joan’s agent turns against advising Joan to succeed and begins to plant doubts in Joan Wilder’s mind. This type of Mentor can be interesting as they typically change from a force of good to one of doubt. They can also be presented as first a bringer of doubt and later transform into a source of power.
There are Fallen Mentors like Tom Hanks in “A League of Their Own.” There are Continuing Mentors, those that carry over into sequels, such as “M” in the James Bond series. There can be Multiple Mentors. Think Obi Wan and Yoda in “Star Wars.” However, if you use Multiple Mentors, insure one is premier while the multiples are minor in comparison, bringing lesser gifts.
This list of Mentor types goes on and on, but they all serve the same purpose. They teach and are givers of gifts. These guys bring inspiration, guidance, training, weapons, hope and all the other tools your hero requires. Without them in your story, at least at an emotional or mental level, your story will be incomplete.
As to placement of Mentors in your manuscript, they show up when they are needed to insure your story moves forward.
In tomorrow’s post on how to write a book, I’ll introduce you to other characters such as the Shapeshifter, Threshold Guardians, Heralds, Tricksters and Shadows. Sounds exciting!
Hum… this may turn into a three part post. We’ll see.
Until we meet again, may all your books be best-sellers.
C. Patrick Schulze
As we’ve traveled down the road of how to write a novel, I’ve talked about the steps your protagonist must take while on his journey through your novel. Today I’m going to introduce you to those various characters he’ll meet along the way. Today we’ll meet the Hero and the Mentor. Tomorrow, we’ll meet more.
Before we meet these all-important and archetypal helpers, hinderers and others, let’s review who it is these many creatures represent. I like to think of them as the assorted types of people I meet in real life. When I populate my manuscripts with characters, I infuse them with human characteristics, typically from people I’ve met, know or know of. After all, the best stories are little more than metaphors for the human condition, are they not. This idea works for creatures, too. Regardless the species of your characters, they will assume human qualities.
Consider your novel’s champion, or protagonist, for example. He lives, struggles, overcomes, succumbs, grows, learns and maybe even dies. He loves, he hates, he suffers, he surpasses and so on. These are all aspects of the human condition, so it’s quite obvious your characters will exhibit the qualities of existent humans.
These guys to whom I’ll introduce you today are universal. They can be employed in whatever genre you write. In a war story, is there a hero? Yep. How about a love story? It’s the same. What if you wish to write about talking birds? You’ll have the same characters in there somewhere.
Armed with that knowledge, let’s introduce the major character types in fiction.
First, and of most importance, is The Hero.
In my research for this article I learned the word, “hero” is Greek in origin and means “one who protects or one who serves.” Think of him as a shepherd of sorts, someone who will sacrifice for the good of his flock. This concept of sacrificing one’s self is at the heart of the hero’s meaning.
It is his fate to leave the comfortable confines of his world and venture into the place where he is, in effect, lost. He, like us, must learn to cope, to grow and to overcome. During his journey, he will face tests, meet teachers and guides, come across those who wish him harm and maybe even meet his love. Hum… sounds sort of like our own lives, doesn’t it? (Do you see a secret to writing a successful novel in that last sentence?)
His purpose in your story is to give your readers a window into not only the story, but life itself. You must find a way to make your protagonist relate to as many potential readers as possible. This is done by instilling in your hero those universal characteristics that your readers will appreciate. That is, qualities we find within ourselves.
Think about some of those universal aspects of the human animal and give those qualities to your hero. You can consider among others, fear, revenge, love, lust, patriotism, desperation, freedom, survival, understanding or idealism. If you can convey these qualities into your hero, the reader will have an easier time identifying with him. This is one of the many secrets to having your manuscript accepted. If you notice, I mention some unsavory qualities, too. Yes, give your hero some of those. Not too many, mind you, but an interesting flaw or two will humanize your hero. Are real life heroes perfect? Neither are your novel based ones.
Keep in mind your hero may be a willing accomplice to his fate or not. It’s unimportant as to his enthusiasm for his quest. Also remember these ideas apply regardless the form your hero takes, be it animal, alien, or even a vegetable.
Another aspect to his fate is action. This does not need be explosive in nature, but rather in the aspect the hero is in control of his personal fate.
The most terrifying scene for your hero is his coming face-to-face with Death. It can be in a metaphorical sense, but he must fact the greatest of losses in your climactic scene. In this part of your novel, your protagonist must present his truly heroic side by willingly sacrificing himself for the good of others if needs be.
Our next character is the ever-popular Mentor.
This character goes by many names and among them is the Wise Old Man or Wizard. He is usually a positive figure, though he need not be so. The archetype is of a lesser hero, if you will. In simple terms, he’s a guide for your premier character.
He represents the best person within us all. He insures the hero is made aware of right from wrong and is provided with all the necessary knowledge or skills to complete his quest. He is a gift-giver of sorts. Think of the Fairy-Godmother in “Cinderella” or Merlin in “King Arthur.”
His main purpose lies in teaching. Your hero comes into this new world of his without many, if not most, of the skills he’ll need to complete his quest. It matters not if he is to drive a silver stake into the heart of Dracula or if she is to find a new love. Regardless the journey, the hero lacks something and the Mentor is there to take care of that nasty little inconvenience.
There is typically a catch involved with these wonderful gifts. And that is they should be earned by your hero. Think of Snow White in her fairy tale. Who later comes to her aid? All the creatures of the forest do. And why do they do this for her? It’s because Snow White showed them kindness earlier in the tale.
The Mentor can have other functions, too. He might act as conscience to your hero. (Hum… might your hero rebel against this conscience? Uh, do real people?) The Mentor may also serve to motivate him or even introduce him to the physical pleasures of love. (This guy can be a lot of fun!)
There are many types of Mentors. He may be what’s called a Dark Mentor, where the good qualities of the human being are turned inside out. Think Joan Wilder’s agent in “Romancing the Stone.” At some point, Joan’s agent turns against advising Joan to succeed and begins to plant doubts in Joan Wilder’s mind. This type of Mentor can be interesting as they typically change from a force of good to one of doubt. They can also be presented as first a bringer of doubt and later transform into a source of power.
There are Fallen Mentors like Tom Hanks in “A League of Their Own.” There are Continuing Mentors, those that carry over into sequels, such as “M” in the James Bond series. There can be Multiple Mentors. Think Obi Wan and Yoda in “Star Wars.” However, if you use Multiple Mentors, insure one is premier while the multiples are minor in comparison, bringing lesser gifts.
This list of Mentor types goes on and on, but they all serve the same purpose. They teach and are givers of gifts. These guys bring inspiration, guidance, training, weapons, hope and all the other tools your hero requires. Without them in your story, at least at an emotional or mental level, your story will be incomplete.
As to placement of Mentors in your manuscript, they show up when they are needed to insure your story moves forward.
In tomorrow’s post on how to write a book, I’ll introduce you to other characters such as the Shapeshifter, Threshold Guardians, Heralds, Tricksters and Shadows. Sounds exciting!
Hum… this may turn into a three part post. We’ll see.
Until we meet again, may all your books be best-sellers.
C. Patrick Schulze
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Part # 2 of Interview wtih Elizabeth Chadwick
This is the second and final installment of my interview with the ever-gracious Elizabeth Chadwick. Please take the time to read the first posting of this interview as she has a great deal to teach us. When you read the initial post you’ll see I tried to focus on any lessons Elizabeth Chadwick may have for aspiring writers as they learn The Craft of Writing. Today we finish with the sixth through the tenth questions.
Please note there are spelling and punctuation differences between her home of England and mine of the United States. If you see something that feels odd to you, trust the way Elizabeth Chadwick writes it.
Now, on to the interview.
My sixth question was:
You and I write are in the same genre, historical fiction. A question I’ve had asked of me a number of times is how does an author find the correct phraseology to adequately portray the language of his novel’s time and still appeal to today’s readers. Can you assist us with this?
“Just use good, standard English as the basics. If you go in for 'gadzookery' you have to be very sure of what you are doing and you are likely to alienate a lot of your readers. If you go the other way and write modern phrases into your dialogue, you are likely to put off many readers of historical fiction who don't want a Tudor personality saying 'So what do you think of the King's teenage girlfriend? Geez, she's hot to trot isn't she?' Keep it on a level and perhaps insert the occasional historical word or phrase to give a flavour - although if it's an item, make sure that the context tells you what it is.”
In her respond Elizabeth Chadwick gives us the technique for portraying a native dialect, a Southern accent, or even an Irish, “Top o’ th’ mornin’ to ya, laddie,” without the need for those many odd contractions and endless apostrophes. We simply use contemporary language and toss in the occasional historical word for authenticity.
As I’ve noted on earlier postings, not only do I follow Elizabeth Chadwick’s advice, but also look also to the flow, the music, within the language you’re emulating. I watched the wonderful movie “Stardust” the other night and the dialect of some rather ancient witches followed these rules. In one scene, a crone is heard saying, “What hardship a few more days?” In this simple phrase you can see the entire concept of what Elizabeth Chadwick recommends. The sentences use contemporary English terms, but with the lilt of the time.
Question Seven:
What might you recommend as the best method or methods for an aspiring writer to learn The Craft of Writing?
“As aforementioned. Sit down and do it; that's the only way. Read as much as you can too and across all genres. Don't just stick to reading what you want to write. Try everything and get to know different authors' voices and what each genre requires. Watch films and TV dramas. Watch film trailers. Observe how they are put together. You can learn a lot about structure from these as well as reading the written word. I think visual media allied to reading and writing, helps a writer form images in their head.”
How many among us aspiring authors have heard the old saw extolling us to put our backside in the chair and write? I’ll bet you’ve also heard the recommendation to read widely, haven’t you? Well, Elizabeth’s Chadwick’s words contain the proof in the porridge as this is the primary method to improve your writing skills. Sit down and write is about as clear a recommendation as you might receive. To write better, write more.
My Eighth question was:
Please tell our readers how you see the art of storytelling as linked to The Craft of Writing.
“I suppose The Craft of Writing can get in the way of the story telling if you get too hung up on the rules. I would say the story telling is all about putting the first draft down on the page, and the craft comes in at the editing stage once you've written or told the story.”
I have learned two important lessons from Elizabeth Chadwick, one of which is the “rules” in writing are, as she quotes from The Pirates of the Caribbean, “more like guidelines”. I truly appreciate her counsel in this regard. The other major lesson I’ve learned from her is the power of setting. Read her books and you’ll understand what I mean.
She emphasizes we should, first and foremost, write a good story. Worry about the rules after the story is penned to the page. This also answers a personal question as to why many successful writers don’t always follow the rules and still have stunning novels. It’s always about the story, guys.
Question Nine:
In historical fiction, as with many other forms of the art, research is an integral part of writing. Would you share with us how your research affects your application of The Craft of Writing?
“My in depth research means that I can walk through the medieval period with confidence and know that my characters are of their time and not modern day people in fancy dress. It means that I can imagine them and their world clearly and being clued up means that I am aware of all sorts of details and scenarios that I can fit in to enliven the narrative or save for a scene in the next novel as appropriate. A writer should do the research but only feed it into the novel on a need to know basis. The material that doesn't go in is not wasted. It supports the writer's ability to get under the skin of people long gone.”
I loved Elizabeth Chadwick’s response here. It seems The Craft of Writing isn’t directly affected by the research an author performs. Research, instead, enlivens the narrative so as to immerse your reader in your story.
And finally, question number ten:
Are there any other suggestions you might recommend for aspiring authors relative to The Craft of Writing?
“Enjoy what you do first and foremost. Don't get hung up on what you should and shouldn't be doing. For example, rules about how much dialogue you should have to prose just get in the way in the early stages. Find your voice first and then begin looking at craft issues, but treat them as guidelines and don't get in a state about them, because they can totally mess up your creative muse. I know they do mine if I start poking about. I would also say write something every day. Set yourself a target that is easily doable even on a fraught day. That way you'll always achieve your goal and often go beyond it, which keeps it enjoyable and is a confidence booster.”
Elizabeth Chadwick’s advice for improving your mastery over The Craft of Writing includes writing what you enjoy. I doubt there is better advice available. If you try to shoehorn yourself into a genre which does not call to you, like any aspect of life, your muse will not participate in the endeavor as she might have had you let her speak through you.
Elizabeth Chadwick also suggests you find your voice early in the process. This, too, is excellent guidance. If you pay attention to people in this industry, you’ll find almost every successful person peppers their advice with this specific requirement. Agents, those who land us those elusive contracts, specifically and often recommend finding your voice and developing it. In my opinion, this is second in importance to writing the good story. I’ve written an earlier post on this and you may wish to review it.
She continues with encouraging writers to write everyday with an attainable goal in mind. This couples nicely with Elizabeth Chadwick’s earlier recommendation to sit down and put finger to keyboard. There is no better way to achieve a goal than to practice.
This concludes the interview with Elizabeth Chadwick. I hope you’ve garnered from this as much from this as have I.
Again I’d like to thank Elizabeth Chadwick, author of “The Greatest Knight” and many other good works, for her kind assistance in helping me offer this to you.
Now, I ask if Elizabeth Chadwick can take her time to support aspiring writers, shouldn’t aspiring writers take the time to support her?
You may pick up any of Elizabeth Chadwick’s books from The Book Depository:
www.bookdepository.com. (They do not charge for worldwide shipping.)
Elizabeth Chadwick’s web site is www.elizabethchadwick.com.
Her blog can be found at http://www.elizabethchadwick.com/Blogs/blogs_livingthehistory.html
Her Twitter name is @ChadwickAuthor.
If you have any questions or comments, please direct them to me at this blog.
Thank you for your time and attention and wish you best-sellers.
C. Patrick Schulze
Please note there are spelling and punctuation differences between her home of England and mine of the United States. If you see something that feels odd to you, trust the way Elizabeth Chadwick writes it.
Now, on to the interview.
My sixth question was:
You and I write are in the same genre, historical fiction. A question I’ve had asked of me a number of times is how does an author find the correct phraseology to adequately portray the language of his novel’s time and still appeal to today’s readers. Can you assist us with this?
“Just use good, standard English as the basics. If you go in for 'gadzookery' you have to be very sure of what you are doing and you are likely to alienate a lot of your readers. If you go the other way and write modern phrases into your dialogue, you are likely to put off many readers of historical fiction who don't want a Tudor personality saying 'So what do you think of the King's teenage girlfriend? Geez, she's hot to trot isn't she?' Keep it on a level and perhaps insert the occasional historical word or phrase to give a flavour - although if it's an item, make sure that the context tells you what it is.”
In her respond Elizabeth Chadwick gives us the technique for portraying a native dialect, a Southern accent, or even an Irish, “Top o’ th’ mornin’ to ya, laddie,” without the need for those many odd contractions and endless apostrophes. We simply use contemporary language and toss in the occasional historical word for authenticity.
As I’ve noted on earlier postings, not only do I follow Elizabeth Chadwick’s advice, but also look also to the flow, the music, within the language you’re emulating. I watched the wonderful movie “Stardust” the other night and the dialect of some rather ancient witches followed these rules. In one scene, a crone is heard saying, “What hardship a few more days?” In this simple phrase you can see the entire concept of what Elizabeth Chadwick recommends. The sentences use contemporary English terms, but with the lilt of the time.
Question Seven:
What might you recommend as the best method or methods for an aspiring writer to learn The Craft of Writing?
“As aforementioned. Sit down and do it; that's the only way. Read as much as you can too and across all genres. Don't just stick to reading what you want to write. Try everything and get to know different authors' voices and what each genre requires. Watch films and TV dramas. Watch film trailers. Observe how they are put together. You can learn a lot about structure from these as well as reading the written word. I think visual media allied to reading and writing, helps a writer form images in their head.”
How many among us aspiring authors have heard the old saw extolling us to put our backside in the chair and write? I’ll bet you’ve also heard the recommendation to read widely, haven’t you? Well, Elizabeth’s Chadwick’s words contain the proof in the porridge as this is the primary method to improve your writing skills. Sit down and write is about as clear a recommendation as you might receive. To write better, write more.
My Eighth question was:
Please tell our readers how you see the art of storytelling as linked to The Craft of Writing.
“I suppose The Craft of Writing can get in the way of the story telling if you get too hung up on the rules. I would say the story telling is all about putting the first draft down on the page, and the craft comes in at the editing stage once you've written or told the story.”
I have learned two important lessons from Elizabeth Chadwick, one of which is the “rules” in writing are, as she quotes from The Pirates of the Caribbean, “more like guidelines”. I truly appreciate her counsel in this regard. The other major lesson I’ve learned from her is the power of setting. Read her books and you’ll understand what I mean.
She emphasizes we should, first and foremost, write a good story. Worry about the rules after the story is penned to the page. This also answers a personal question as to why many successful writers don’t always follow the rules and still have stunning novels. It’s always about the story, guys.
Question Nine:
In historical fiction, as with many other forms of the art, research is an integral part of writing. Would you share with us how your research affects your application of The Craft of Writing?
“My in depth research means that I can walk through the medieval period with confidence and know that my characters are of their time and not modern day people in fancy dress. It means that I can imagine them and their world clearly and being clued up means that I am aware of all sorts of details and scenarios that I can fit in to enliven the narrative or save for a scene in the next novel as appropriate. A writer should do the research but only feed it into the novel on a need to know basis. The material that doesn't go in is not wasted. It supports the writer's ability to get under the skin of people long gone.”
I loved Elizabeth Chadwick’s response here. It seems The Craft of Writing isn’t directly affected by the research an author performs. Research, instead, enlivens the narrative so as to immerse your reader in your story.
And finally, question number ten:
Are there any other suggestions you might recommend for aspiring authors relative to The Craft of Writing?
“Enjoy what you do first and foremost. Don't get hung up on what you should and shouldn't be doing. For example, rules about how much dialogue you should have to prose just get in the way in the early stages. Find your voice first and then begin looking at craft issues, but treat them as guidelines and don't get in a state about them, because they can totally mess up your creative muse. I know they do mine if I start poking about. I would also say write something every day. Set yourself a target that is easily doable even on a fraught day. That way you'll always achieve your goal and often go beyond it, which keeps it enjoyable and is a confidence booster.”
Elizabeth Chadwick’s advice for improving your mastery over The Craft of Writing includes writing what you enjoy. I doubt there is better advice available. If you try to shoehorn yourself into a genre which does not call to you, like any aspect of life, your muse will not participate in the endeavor as she might have had you let her speak through you.
Elizabeth Chadwick also suggests you find your voice early in the process. This, too, is excellent guidance. If you pay attention to people in this industry, you’ll find almost every successful person peppers their advice with this specific requirement. Agents, those who land us those elusive contracts, specifically and often recommend finding your voice and developing it. In my opinion, this is second in importance to writing the good story. I’ve written an earlier post on this and you may wish to review it.
She continues with encouraging writers to write everyday with an attainable goal in mind. This couples nicely with Elizabeth Chadwick’s earlier recommendation to sit down and put finger to keyboard. There is no better way to achieve a goal than to practice.
This concludes the interview with Elizabeth Chadwick. I hope you’ve garnered from this as much from this as have I.
Again I’d like to thank Elizabeth Chadwick, author of “The Greatest Knight” and many other good works, for her kind assistance in helping me offer this to you.
Now, I ask if Elizabeth Chadwick can take her time to support aspiring writers, shouldn’t aspiring writers take the time to support her?
You may pick up any of Elizabeth Chadwick’s books from The Book Depository:
www.bookdepository.com. (They do not charge for worldwide shipping.)
Elizabeth Chadwick’s web site is www.elizabethchadwick.com.
Her blog can be found at http://www.elizabethchadwick.com/Blogs/blogs_livingthehistory.html
Her Twitter name is @ChadwickAuthor.
If you have any questions or comments, please direct them to me at this blog.
Thank you for your time and attention and wish you best-sellers.
C. Patrick Schulze
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Point of View Tips for the Fiction Writer
Last night I was working with my critique group and they stunned me with some of the errors they found still hidden within my novel, “Born to be Brothers.” Two, (count ‘em), of those errors were in Point of View, or as its know, POV. With last night’s lesson clear in my mind, I thought today’s post should encompass that great bugaboo, Point of View.
Let’s first try to understand what POV is. In a sound bite, it’s who is telling the story. Is a single character narrating what is going on, or are a number, or even all the characters, telling the reader what is happening? POV is nothing more than the writer’s method of determining which character is presenting the narrative.
See, it’s not all that mysterious.
As to the types of POV, there are four perspectives for telling your story, though some say there are five. Regardless, my focus will be with the three most common, and then primarily upon the Third Person, as it is the most common in fiction.
Know that each POV has its advantages, disadvantages and typical uses.
They three major types, with primary subdivisions are:
• First Person POV
• Second Person POV
• Third Person POV
o Limited
o Omniscient
o Objective
Keep in mind when you write, you’ll settle into the one or two POV’s that serves your storytelling and writing style. In fiction, the primary POV is Third Person.
Let’s define these POV’s.
• First Person POV
First Person POV has the writer, or narrator, personally telling the story. In effect, the narrator is speaking to his readers about what is transpiring and it can be told in either present or past POV. It is most often used when one is authoring a book about ones’ personal experiences or opinions. You’ll see the writer using the common pronouns of I, me, my, mine, we, our and ours. It can fit into fiction, but is widely used in memoirs.
An example sentence is:
As I looked at Jill, I knew she was upset.
• Second Person POV
Think of this as how to write an instruction manual and extensive use of the word, “you.” This POV is rarely used in fiction as it simply tells the reader what the characters are doing and what they see.
It is an awkward way to write with limited access to creativity. However, it does grab the reader’s attention. It can also exist in past and present forms.
An example sentence is:
You, Jill, will then purse your lips and furrow your brow.
• Third Person POV has three subtypes and we’ll discover each on its own.
o Third Person - Omniscient POV
Third Person Omniscient POV is having all the major characters in your novel telling the story.
What is nice about this POV is the freedom it affords. The author can tell the reader what everyone’s motivations are and what it is they are thinking. It allows the writer to give or withhold information at will.
The difficulties lie in lack of control and its potentially cumbersome nature. If you are not careful, by showing what inside every character’s head, the reader receives too much information and can become frustrated as your POV loses cohesion.
You overcome this issue by consistency in your POV and have only one person telling the story at a time. Also, eliminate any information that is not pertinent to the story. Have each chapter focus on one individual will help eliminate “head-hopping,” or jumping from one character’s POV to another within chapters.
Your example:
Jack wondered what Jill was thinking while Jill knew quite well what thoughts rattled around Jack’s mind. Bill was surprised by what Jill was thinking.
See how this can get out of hand?
o Third Person - Limited POV
Third Person Limited POV is perhaps the easiest to utilize and most popular when writing novels. Here the author writes from a single person’s vision throughout the entire book. In third person POV, you’ll see pronouns such as she, he, her, him, hers, his, it, its, they, them, theirs.
The disadvantages come with the writer’s limitation as to who sees what. The character telling the story cannot get into the head of another to read his thoughts. He can only surmise what the other guy is thinking by that person’s facial expression, actions and such. It’s also very easy to shift out of this POV.
Your example:
Jak understood Jill’s irritation, for her pursed lips and furrowed brow told him everything he needed to know.
o Third Person Objective POV
In this POV, the author only tells his readers what happens by way of action or dialogue. Their characters’ feelings or thoughts are never revealed. It’s not the most effective POV for fiction.
Your example is:
Jack watched Jill furrow her brow and pinch her face.
When it’s broken down into the types that fit your writing genre, it doesn’t seem quite so overwhelming, does it?
The secret to POV is to learn what type works well for your writing style and the types of stories you tell. These factors will drive your POV. Focus on the one or two you need and let the rest go for now.
I hope this has helped a bit, and I wish you only best-sellers.
C. Patrick Schulze
Let’s first try to understand what POV is. In a sound bite, it’s who is telling the story. Is a single character narrating what is going on, or are a number, or even all the characters, telling the reader what is happening? POV is nothing more than the writer’s method of determining which character is presenting the narrative.
See, it’s not all that mysterious.
As to the types of POV, there are four perspectives for telling your story, though some say there are five. Regardless, my focus will be with the three most common, and then primarily upon the Third Person, as it is the most common in fiction.
Know that each POV has its advantages, disadvantages and typical uses.
They three major types, with primary subdivisions are:
• First Person POV
• Second Person POV
• Third Person POV
o Limited
o Omniscient
o Objective
Keep in mind when you write, you’ll settle into the one or two POV’s that serves your storytelling and writing style. In fiction, the primary POV is Third Person.
Let’s define these POV’s.
• First Person POV
First Person POV has the writer, or narrator, personally telling the story. In effect, the narrator is speaking to his readers about what is transpiring and it can be told in either present or past POV. It is most often used when one is authoring a book about ones’ personal experiences or opinions. You’ll see the writer using the common pronouns of I, me, my, mine, we, our and ours. It can fit into fiction, but is widely used in memoirs.
An example sentence is:
As I looked at Jill, I knew she was upset.
• Second Person POV
Think of this as how to write an instruction manual and extensive use of the word, “you.” This POV is rarely used in fiction as it simply tells the reader what the characters are doing and what they see.
It is an awkward way to write with limited access to creativity. However, it does grab the reader’s attention. It can also exist in past and present forms.
An example sentence is:
You, Jill, will then purse your lips and furrow your brow.
• Third Person POV has three subtypes and we’ll discover each on its own.
o Third Person - Omniscient POV
Third Person Omniscient POV is having all the major characters in your novel telling the story.
What is nice about this POV is the freedom it affords. The author can tell the reader what everyone’s motivations are and what it is they are thinking. It allows the writer to give or withhold information at will.
The difficulties lie in lack of control and its potentially cumbersome nature. If you are not careful, by showing what inside every character’s head, the reader receives too much information and can become frustrated as your POV loses cohesion.
You overcome this issue by consistency in your POV and have only one person telling the story at a time. Also, eliminate any information that is not pertinent to the story. Have each chapter focus on one individual will help eliminate “head-hopping,” or jumping from one character’s POV to another within chapters.
Your example:
Jack wondered what Jill was thinking while Jill knew quite well what thoughts rattled around Jack’s mind. Bill was surprised by what Jill was thinking.
See how this can get out of hand?
o Third Person - Limited POV
Third Person Limited POV is perhaps the easiest to utilize and most popular when writing novels. Here the author writes from a single person’s vision throughout the entire book. In third person POV, you’ll see pronouns such as she, he, her, him, hers, his, it, its, they, them, theirs.
The disadvantages come with the writer’s limitation as to who sees what. The character telling the story cannot get into the head of another to read his thoughts. He can only surmise what the other guy is thinking by that person’s facial expression, actions and such. It’s also very easy to shift out of this POV.
Your example:
Jak understood Jill’s irritation, for her pursed lips and furrowed brow told him everything he needed to know.
o Third Person Objective POV
In this POV, the author only tells his readers what happens by way of action or dialogue. Their characters’ feelings or thoughts are never revealed. It’s not the most effective POV for fiction.
Your example is:
Jack watched Jill furrow her brow and pinch her face.
When it’s broken down into the types that fit your writing genre, it doesn’t seem quite so overwhelming, does it?
The secret to POV is to learn what type works well for your writing style and the types of stories you tell. These factors will drive your POV. Focus on the one or two you need and let the rest go for now.
I hope this has helped a bit, and I wish you only best-sellers.
C. Patrick Schulze
Monday, November 16, 2009
Tips on Eliminating Unnecessarily Overused Adverbs
Aspiring authors always hear about the need to reduce adverbs, but just how might that be done?
First, let’s define the word, “adverb.” Dictionary.com defines them as, (are you ready for this?), “any member of a class of words that in many languages are distinguished in form, as partly in English by the ending -ly, or by functioning as modifiers of verbs or clauses, and in some languages, as Latin and English, also as modifiers of adjectives or other adverbs or adverbial phrases, as very, well, quickly. Adverbs typically express some relation of place, time, manner, attendant circumstance, degree, cause, inference, result, condition, exception, concession, purpose, or means.”
Come on, guys! Let’s whittle this down to say they are modifiers of verbs, generally, usually, often words ending in –ly. Ah, that’s much more understandable.
Let’s take a look at how this plays into our writing.
If you read the title of this post, you’ll notice two modifiers of the word, “Adverbs.” They are, “Unnecessarily” and “Overused.” Could this title have been written without the adverbs and still make sense? Sure. Tips on Eliminating Adverbs makes perfect sense. So, too, it must be in your writing. Eliminate as many of your adverbs as possible for better writing.
Should you eliminate all adverbs? Perhaps not, but each should be studied to insure they add to the quality of your writing. As we’ve all learned by way of earlier posts to this blog, the “rules” of writing are actually only guidelines, but if you put this maxim to good use it will improve your writing.
Let’s look at a couple of examples, shall we?
The sun slowly set over the horizon.
How important is the word, “slowly,” in this example? Not much. Everyone knows a sun set isn’t immediate. If that word were eliminated the writing would be crisper and the concept of the event would not be lost.
Now compare these two sentences.
“She laughingly brushed off his comment.”
“With a laugh, she brushed off his comment.”
If you read them aloud, you’ll find no change in the meaning, but rather a dramatic alteration to the cadence, or the music of the words. Which is the better written? (“B”, is your correct answer.) The difference may be subtle to many, but the importance of this technique over a novel length manuscript will accumulate dramatically, ah, in a dramatic fashion.
Here’s one more example:
“Begrudgingly, he admitted she was correct.”
“With a begrudge, he admitted she was correct.”
We see here the easy alteration turned out worse than the original. In lieu, try something like this.
“He admitted she was correct, though he felt bitter at having to acknowledge the fact.”
Which of the three sentences reads better to you? This illustration shows how difficult the correct rewording might be. Regardless, the lesson here is to edit each individual adverb for elimination or replacement.
As to when to edit your adverbs, I can only tell you how I do it. I wait until the first, or even the third, draft is complete then I use my Find function to locate all “ly” words. I then evaluate the individual adverbs for options as to how better reword the sentence for more compelling writing.
Until my next post, my all your books be best-sellers.
C. Patrick Schulze
First, let’s define the word, “adverb.” Dictionary.com defines them as, (are you ready for this?), “any member of a class of words that in many languages are distinguished in form, as partly in English by the ending -ly, or by functioning as modifiers of verbs or clauses, and in some languages, as Latin and English, also as modifiers of adjectives or other adverbs or adverbial phrases, as very, well, quickly. Adverbs typically express some relation of place, time, manner, attendant circumstance, degree, cause, inference, result, condition, exception, concession, purpose, or means.”
Come on, guys! Let’s whittle this down to say they are modifiers of verbs, generally, usually, often words ending in –ly. Ah, that’s much more understandable.
Let’s take a look at how this plays into our writing.
If you read the title of this post, you’ll notice two modifiers of the word, “Adverbs.” They are, “Unnecessarily” and “Overused.” Could this title have been written without the adverbs and still make sense? Sure. Tips on Eliminating Adverbs makes perfect sense. So, too, it must be in your writing. Eliminate as many of your adverbs as possible for better writing.
Should you eliminate all adverbs? Perhaps not, but each should be studied to insure they add to the quality of your writing. As we’ve all learned by way of earlier posts to this blog, the “rules” of writing are actually only guidelines, but if you put this maxim to good use it will improve your writing.
Let’s look at a couple of examples, shall we?
The sun slowly set over the horizon.
How important is the word, “slowly,” in this example? Not much. Everyone knows a sun set isn’t immediate. If that word were eliminated the writing would be crisper and the concept of the event would not be lost.
Now compare these two sentences.
“She laughingly brushed off his comment.”
“With a laugh, she brushed off his comment.”
If you read them aloud, you’ll find no change in the meaning, but rather a dramatic alteration to the cadence, or the music of the words. Which is the better written? (“B”, is your correct answer.) The difference may be subtle to many, but the importance of this technique over a novel length manuscript will accumulate dramatically, ah, in a dramatic fashion.
Here’s one more example:
“Begrudgingly, he admitted she was correct.”
“With a begrudge, he admitted she was correct.”
We see here the easy alteration turned out worse than the original. In lieu, try something like this.
“He admitted she was correct, though he felt bitter at having to acknowledge the fact.”
Which of the three sentences reads better to you? This illustration shows how difficult the correct rewording might be. Regardless, the lesson here is to edit each individual adverb for elimination or replacement.
As to when to edit your adverbs, I can only tell you how I do it. I wait until the first, or even the third, draft is complete then I use my Find function to locate all “ly” words. I then evaluate the individual adverbs for options as to how better reword the sentence for more compelling writing.
Until my next post, my all your books be best-sellers.
C. Patrick Schulze
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